Belgian police arrest more than 100 people

Police in Brussels say they arrested more than 100 people in the Belgian capital while breaking up a clash involving hundreds of people outside the stadium of the Anderlecht football (soccer) club.

During the fighting, which began Friday night, rioters threw stones and bottles, and police retaliated with tear-gas volleys and water cannon. One account says it took more than 200 police, some on horseback, about four hours to bring the clashes under control.

Police say 26 people - more than half of them police officers - were injured.

Authorities say the brawl involved fans of the Anderlecht club, and apparently traced back to a bar fight that broke out last week between white Anderlecht fans and young people of African descent.

Reuters news agency quotes police as saying Friday`s clash was prompted by a message posted on a Website (not identified) read by many youths of north African descent. The message called for an attack on "all white fans of football club Anderlecht."

The cause of the original dispute a week ago is not clear.

Last week`s Belgian Cup final was played in a different part of Brussels at the Konong Boudewijn stadium. Anderlecht came back from a two-goal disadvantage to beat Gent, 3-2.

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